Fool Me Once
by Patricia de Lioncourt
Summary: Set after the episode "Valentine's Day." Nick finds out that Lacroix is not really that gullible.


A/N- Yet another Forever Knight one-shot from yours truly. However, I feel like my writing has improved since the last one. Anyhow, within the past month or so, I managed to purchase all three seasons of Forever Knight. And recently, I've been watching them all a lot. This one is set after an episode in Season Two called Be My Valentine. For those who may not remember, that was the episode where Nick told Natalie that he loved her, but then Lacroix had something to say about it. I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer- I don't own Forever Knight…that belongs to Columbia Tristar and its creators.

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Fool Me Once

Detective Nicolas Knight put down his worn copy of Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter and sighed. In this persona of the "vampire cop," it was unusual for him to find himself with a night off. Being that the graveyard shift was the only one he could work--without spontaneously combusting--and that most mortals wanted to spend the night at home with their families, Nick often helped out by covering other people's shift. But apparently all of Toronto's cop families wanted alone time from one another, so Nick was at home.

Nick cast an eye over towards his cordless phone. He considered for a moment putting in a call to Doctor Natalie Lambert--knowing full well that she was working tonight--but quickly decided against it. When around Natalie, he played the part of the close friend well…never revealing any further emotions he felt for her…for her sake. That could not be risked, not after the incident of Valentine's Day two months ago.

Nick shook his head when the feeling that he was not alone took him.

"Ah, Nicolas, so sulky this evening! Could it be that there are no damsels for the brave Detective Knight to save tonight?" Lacroix's voice sounded from behind him.

"Lacroix," Nick sighed, looking up to find him grinning down from the balcony/bedroom.

In less than the blink of a human eye, Lacroix moved from that position to sitting on Nick's couch, with a glass of Nick's own steer blood in his hand. The older vampire sipped the drink lightly, turning his nose up as he swallowed, but choosing this time to not comment on Nick's choice of "vintage." He set the glass aside and grinned again.

"So, tell me. What does a vampire cop do on his night off? Janette mentioned that you had not come down to the Raven recently," Lacroix said.

His grin widened as he spied the copy of Hawthorne's novel on the end table beside him. Picking it up, he flipped idly through it.

"Always a fascinating read, this one. Truly a classic. Gives quite a good insight to the human condition, does it not?"

Nick leaned up against the back of the chair adjacent to the couch, his clasped hands resting on the back of the chair.

"Yes, it does. Lacroix, I don't believe you stopped in tonight to discuss The Scarlet Letter with me. Why are you here?" he asked.

Lacroix set the book aside, sipped from his glass, and stood. He made his way over the window, blinds up allowing the moonlight in. His back was facing Nicolas as he said, "I came to congratulate you."

Nick was now truly puzzled. He took a moment to search his memory for something, anything, that would cause Lacroix to congratulate him. Coming up with nothing, he turned back to the vampire who had made him.

"To what do I owe the honor?" he asked.

When Lacroix turned back to Nick, he had one of those smiles on his face that Nick had come to hate in his eight hundred years of knowing him. It was a cross between a mischievous one and a downright wicked one.

"I am congratulating you, Nicolas, because you had me successfully fooled. This is not a task easily done. I'm quite impressed. Oh, I was angry at first…but I decided that it was only at my own gullibility."

"What are you talking about?" Nick asked, now feeling a tad worried, for the smile had not faded.

"I believed you, _believed you_, when you told me that you were not in love with the pretty Doctor Lambert…that you were simply indulging her. I believed you for a time, Nicolas. You ought to feel quite pleased with yourself for that," Lacroix said, picking up his glass and sipping again.

He took a seat back on the couch, crossing his legs knee over knee. Nick's eyes widened. He slipped around the chair and sat in it--fell into it was a closer description.

"Lacroix…please. Don't harm her. I made her forget…I made her forget that she loved me. Surely, this is revenge enough!" Nick said, trying desperately not to sound like he was pleading with him.

He knew full well that if Lacroix decided that he wanted Natalie dead there would be no way for him to stop him. He had merely gotten lucky on Valentine's Day. Lacroix smiled even wider now.

"Yes, yes, I know, Nicolas. In fact, I have found the perfect vengeance, but it goes a step further than what you have said. I know that you erased your love from her memory. So this is your punishment," Lacroix said, standing. "To love your dear doctor from afar, never letting her know your true feelings…because if you do, I _will_ kill her. And you more than any other know, Nicolas, that I do not make idle threats."

Nick stood, not wanting to admit that he did know Lacroix's words to be true. He simply nodded.

"Splendid. I'll leave you to your book and your night off. Oh, and do visit Janette tonight, Nicolas. She mentioned wanting to see you," Lacroix said, and with a whooshing sound, he was gone.

Nick sighed and fell back onto the couch. After a few moments reviewing the words Lacroix had left him with, he picked up the cordless and dialed the number to the Raven.

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End Notes: So, what do you think? Just a little ditty. I just thought how it was always so funny that Lacroix fell for this…then in the third season seems not to notice. Anyhow, read and review! 


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